This is the story of how a global cruise brand found its Indian voice and how an emerging market learned to understand, trust and eventually embrace premium cruising as a serious form of holidaying.
When the story of cruising in India is written in full, it will not be a tale of overnight success. It will be a story of patience, belief and a small group of professionals who chose to sell a dream long before the market was ready to buy it. At the heart of this story stands Princess Cruises and alongside it the journey of committed professional – Nishith Saxena who has been associated with Princess Cruises for the last 25 years.
The global legacy meets an uncharted market
Princess Cruises was already a legend by the time India entered its horizon. Globally recognised for refined experiences, destination-led itineraries and a strong emotional connection to travel—popularised further by its association with The Love Boat—Princess represented elegance, reliability and discovery.
Yet India, at the turn of the millennium, was not an obvious cruise market.
International leisure travel itself was still evolving. Indian travellers were price-conscious, land-focused and itinerary-driven in a very traditional sense. The idea of unpacking once and waking up in a new destination every day sounded appealing—but also unfamiliar, even risky.
Cruising was often misunderstood as either too luxurious, too expensive or too complex. There were hardly any presence of premium cruise brands in India, limited multi-visa requirement awareness, limited forex allowance available to Indian traveller be spent on cruises and almost no trained cruise specialists. Selling a cruise in India required not brochures but belief.
It was into this environment that Nishith Saxena stepped in not merely as the Country Manager for Princess Cruises in 2000 but also someone who wanted India to be on the cruising map of the world.
The early years: Selling the unseen (2000-2004)
In early 2000s, the word “cruise” in India often meant river cruises in Europe—or worse, confusion with ferries. Ocean cruising was an alien concept known only to a few.
There were no roadshows filled with eager buyers, no social media reels showcasing ships, no cruise-specific training programs. Sales conversations began with basics:
· What is a cruise?
· Will I feel seasick?
· Is it suitable for families?
· Is it Indian-friendly?
· Is the food vegetarian?
Nishith and his team in India were educators before they were sellers. They invested time in explaining the concept of cruising, breaking myths and aligning global cruise experiences with Indian sensibilities.
Princess Cruises stood out even then. Its destination-intensive itineraries, longer port stays, and understated elegance appealed to discerning Indian travellers—particularly honeymooners, multi-generational families and senior travellers seeking comfort and enrichment.
But growth was slow, deliberate, and earned.
Building trust, one travel partner at a time
Cruising in India did not grow through mass advertising. It grew through trust-based partnerships.
Nishith worked closely with travel agents across metros and emerging cities, many of whom had never sold a cruise before. Training sessions were personal, often one-on-one. Cruise selling was introduced as a consultative art and not a transactional product.
Princess Cruises’ value proposition was positioned carefully – Not as luxury for luxury’s sake, but as value-rich, experience-led travel, where accommodation, dining, entertainment and transportation were seamlessly integrated. Over time, a small but committed community of trade partners emerged in India—people who understood ships, itineraries, seasons, cabin categories and onboard culture. They became storytellers, not brochure pushers. This was the foundation era for premium cruising in India.
The middle phase: Awareness turns into aspiration (2005–2015)
As India’s outbound travel expanded, cruising began to find its place in aspirational travel planning.
Indian travellers started travelling farther—to Alaska, Europe, Australia and Japan. With these destinations, Princess Cruises became increasingly relevant. Alaska, in particular, emerged as a defining product with Princess being recognised globally for its deep expertise and land-sea programs popularly know as cruise-tours.
During this phase repeat cruisers began to emerge and families started planning milestone celebrations onboard. Simultaneously, Princess Cruises gained a reputation
for consistency and elegance and Cruise Professionals established itself as the pioneer in premium cruising segment with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) certified specialists
As the company grew in stature, Nishith’s role evolved from market builder to market strategist. The focus shifted from “Why cruise?” to “Which cruise is right for you?”
Cruise selling matured. Training became structured. Trade confidence increased. Princess Cruises’ brand values—service, destination depth and refined onboard experience—aligned naturally with the evolving Indian premium traveller.
The human side of the journey
What truly differentiated the Princess Cruises journey in India was its people-first approach.
Cruise Professionals were not treated as intermediaries but as partners. Feedback from India was heard and respected. Dietary preferences, family travel patterns and cultural nuances were communicated back to global teams. This two-way dialogue helped Princess Cruises become more accessible without losing its core identity.
For Nishith, this phase was as much about mentoring as it was about selling. A generation of cruise specialists in India today trace their learning back to early training sessions, market visits and strategic guidance provided during these years.
Resilience through change
It is impossible to assume that this 25-year journey was without any disruption.
Economic slowdowns, geopolitical uncertainties, currency fluctuations and changing visa regulations tested the resilience of the cruise business in India. Each challenge required recalibration. Then came the defining global disruption—the pandemic.
Cruising, more than any other travel segment, faced unprecedented scrutiny. Ships stopped sailing. Confidence was shaken. But within the crisis lay an opportunity to rebuild stronger, safer and more transparent echo-system. Princess Cruises responded globally with enhanced health protocols, technology-driven safety measures and a renewed commitment to guest wellbeing. In India, Cruise Professionals—guided by experience and credibility—played a vital role in restoring confidence. Trust, once earned, proved resilient.
The new era: India comes of age as a Cruise Market (2022 onwards)
As cruising restarted, the Indian market returned more informed, more confident and more experience-driven. Cruising is no longer explained as a novelty. It is positioned as a smart, immersive way to explore the world.
Princess Cruises today resonates strongly with Multi-generational Indian families, Mature travellers seeking comfort and enrichment, Couples celebrating life milestones and High-value travellers prioritising experience over extravagance.
Technology, personalisation and destination storytelling have enhanced the selling experience wherein Cruise Professionals have embraced technology and have Browse & Book capabilities on their website www.cruiseprofessionals.inspecialists, not niche sellers. Nishith’s leadership in this phase reflects continuity and evolution—anchored in the values of the past, while shaping the momentum of the future.
The legacy of 25 years
The true achievement of the last 25 years is not measured in numbers alone. There are more intangible parameters which define the success of this association between Princess Cruises & Cruise Professionals. Today we have
· A trained and confident cruise trade in India
· Thousands of Indian travellers whose first cruise became a lifelong passion
· A global cruise brand that earned trust in a complex, diverse market
· A professional journey that blended persistence, integrity and vision
Princess Cruises’ story in India is inseparable from the story of the professionals who believed in it early—and from the leadership that guided its course steadily, year after year.
The next chapter
As India stands on the cusp of becoming one of the world’s most important outbound travel markets, cruising is no longer on the periphery. It is central to every travel conversation.
The next chapter will be about scale, innovation, deeper engagement and online booking capabilities —but it will still be rooted in the fundamentals established over the last 25 years: education, trust and partnerships.
For Princess Cruises and for Nishith Saxena, the journey continues—not as pioneers of a new idea, but as custodians of a legacy that helped shape cruising in India. Cruise Professionals is currently the representative of 8 premium, luxury & expedition brands but retains its first love for Princess Cruises.
And like every great voyage, it is not the destination alone that matters—but the people who made the journey possible.
